


Imperial (non) Immunity

by Arsenic



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: F/M, Families of Choice, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21551260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arsenic/pseuds/Arsenic
Summary: Csevet doesn't get sick.  Maia's not so confident.
Relationships: Csethiro Ceredin/Maia Drazhar
Comments: 34
Kudos: 166
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Imperial (non) Immunity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [malachibi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/malachibi/gifts).



> Dear treatee, I hope this gives you a smile, it definitely gave me joy.
> 
> Thanks to my beta, all remaining mistakes are due to stubbornness on my part.

In point of fact, it should have been expected. The way Csevet served, well, Maia wasn’t entirely sure his secretary got as much sleep even as Maia himself, which was not particularly a reasonable amount in the first place. Really, it was only natural the man would come down with something sooner or later. It was just so long into their working relationship, Maia had perhaps forgotten that Csevet _could_ fall ill. He always seemed so… laced-up, as if weakness was something for others to experience, people like, well, like Maia.

Of course Maia knew that was utter pablum. Csevet himself had admitted to shameful, terrified moments in his past, but Maia had never known _that_ Csevet. Rather, Maia had always known the man who had come one evening, made a statement that forever changed Maia’s life, and then loyally saw him through everything thereafter.

For all these reasons, it took longer than it should have for Maia to notice Csevet was drooping over the breakfast table. As soon as he did, he asked, “Are you, ah, that is, you seem a bit—”

“Hayfever,” Csevet coughed out, and now that Maia was paying attention, his secretary looked terrible. His ears were flattened as if he hadn’t the energy to properly hold them upright, his eyes were more red than white, and the skin surrounding them was puffy and irritated. 

Maia might have been slow to catch on to this particularly unusual circumstance, but he was not dimwitted. “You have never once suffered hayfever in all the time of your service to us.”

Csevet opened his mouth to reply—to _lie_ —but his breath caught on a cough which turned into a series, and soon he was hunched over, coughing so violently Maia was concerned he would break a rib or otherwise do himself harm.

Maia gestured to Beshelar, who was managing to look alarmed even as he kept his unaffected air, and murmured, “Send for our physician, please, and quickly.”

“Serenity—” Csevet managed, the word ragged and drawn out through a shaky breath.

“Are we your Emperor, or are we not?” Maia asked, glad, in that moment, that he had finally gotten the knack of imposing his will when truly necessary.

Under the sheer misery on Csevet’s face flashed a small bit of rebellion, but when he answered, it was to say, “Of course, Serenity.”

* * *

By the time Csevet had been seen to and properly bundled off to bed with strict instructions from Maia to the staff that Csevet’s every need was to be handled until he was fully recovered, Cala had fetched one of Csevet’s assistants. As they were already late for the Council meeting, there was nothing for it but to get on with the day.

If having someone who was not Csevet at his side was unnerving and played with Maia’s composure in all the wrong ways, well. He’d pretended to be all right through worse, certainly. Not for the first time, though, he wished being emperor meant he could simply state that he planned to check in on Csevet through the day and not have it become a scandal and quite possibly cause people to question his ability to rule.

Whilst one of the Councilors was speaking on a taxation issue Maia well knew was going nowhere, he penned a quick missive asking Csethiro to check in on Csevet, should she find any time in her day. In his absence, it was her he most trusted to see to Csevet’s welfare.

Csethiro found Maia at his midday meal and assured him she would ruin the lives of anyone who attempted to interrupt Csevet’s rest or was not quick enough to seeing he had food and medicine. Maia twisted his mouth, “Perhaps something short of ruining lives?”

Csethiro sighed and murmured, “Thou doth destroy all my best plans for fun, Serenity,” even as she squeezed his hand and caught his lips in a kiss.

* * *

Maia slept heavily that night. Csethiro swore to him Csevet was being seen to with the utmost of care, but nobody would allow him to actually see the other man. He woke up feeling as though he were back at Edonomee, and Setheris had slammed him into something, or done some other violence that caused him to hurt everywhere. Even his fingernails seemed sensitive.

He forced himself into stillness and acceptance of the ministrations of his edocharei. At breakfast, he drank three cups of tea and forewent eating anything after trying to swallow the first bite of porridge almost caused tears to well up in his eyes. In his peripheral vision, Maia could see Cala watching him with a narrowed gaze. 

It was Berenar, though, midway through the morning session, who called for a recess and promptly turned to Maia to say, “Serenity, do not take offence, we are merely expressing concern, but you seem a bit worn.”

It had been a while since Maia had found himself so desperate for the feel of his mother’s embrace. Since the wedding, and even before, if he was in need of physical comfort, Csethiro would sit next to him or embrace him. Arbelan often imparted kind moments of touch, and lately, even Idra seemed convinced that an occasional affectionate touch would not wholly undermine what little dignity childhood gave a person. Mireӓn and Ino never failed to greet Maia by wrapping themselves around him with all the force two children could manage. Maia was hardly the touch-starved waif who had been tossed into his new role.

At this moment, however, he wanted nothing more than for his mother to soothe back his hair, kiss his forehead, tuck him into bed. “We are…” Maia wasn’t sure how to admit he felt ill. It hadn’t felt as though he’d been allowed since he was in his mother’s care. “A bit worn,” he settled on, using the other man’s words.

Berenar blinked and then turned and gestured at Beshelar to approach. Beshelar stood between them, with the greeting, “Serenity, Lord Chancellor.”

“Serenity should be seen to by the Imperial physicians.”

It was Maia’s turn to blink. “Oh, we do not believe—”

“At once, Lord Chancellor.” Beshelar had Maia on his feet and moving quickly enough that dizziness was a problem, and it was only his nonecharis on either side of him that kept Maia upright.

Maia tried, “We needn’t—”

It was Cala who cut him off this time. “Allow us to do our duty, Serenity.” More softly, he said, “Allow us to be thy friends.”

* * *

Once he allowed himself to truly notice how bad he felt, Maia rather thought he’d had more fun that time he’d been kidnapped and threatened with imminent death. His edocharei removed the heavy vestments that were his daily uniform and tucked him into the bed with hot water bottles behind his back, at his feet, and on his stomach. They helped with some of the chill that seemed to be running rampant through his body, but not the fire in his throat, nor the splitting agony running from between his eyes all the way down his spine.

He closed his eyes and did his best to breathe. If he could just fall asleep, then he wouldn’t have to feel the pain.

Someone came into the room and while Maia imagined it had been done rather quietly, it felt as though they had loudly announced their presence with every inch of the door opening. And then Cala was at his bedside with the court physician, who nodded and said, “Mm, yes, as I had expected.”

Cala and Beshelar worked to shift Maia enough that he could take the medicines the physician insisted would help, and swallow the water it seemed he needed to have in order to heal. It felt like swallowing a ball made of needles. He must have looked as miserable as he felt, because Beshelar demanded there must be something else to be done for the pain.

Maia thought he should tell Beshelar not to be too hard on the physician, but the idea of speaking made him want to weep, and he suspected that would somewhat rob the assertion of its authority. He was given another spoonful of something, and then, thankfully, the world’s edges became muzzy, and Maia was able to rest.

* * *

Something was off. Edonomee was cold, always, but there were fires to cull some of the chill. Now Maia couldn’t stop shaking, the cold almost painful in its intensity. He felt…empty? Had Setheris disallowed him a meal? 

A cough tore through him, waking him from the state of demi-sleep. A hand soothed its way over his back, so warm against the chill. Someone said, “He’s burning. He—should we take the covers off?”

Oh, that was Csethiro. He wasn’t sure he wanted her seeing him like this, but he couldn’t remember why. Also, she would probably disagree. She wasn’t the kind to be told to go away when she wanted to be somewhere. He tried to say, “Cold,” but it was interrupted by more coughing.

Then someone was lifting him like a child. That hadn’t happened—Maia couldn’t remember when that had last happened. With his mother, likely. He wanted his mother. 

People were talking around him, but his head hurt too much to pay attention. Vaguely, he hoped it wasn’t a plot to have him killed. He was being stripped then. Was it time to go to breakfast? Maia really didn’t think he could. He was about to try and explain this when someone stood him up and carefully lowered his feet into what felt like a bucket of ice.

Years of keeping his silence at mistreatment evidently created muscle memory in one’s throat, because Maia did not scream as he wished to, but he could hear his loud panting, edged in a whine and interrupted by coughs. Someone said, “We’re sorry, Serenity, we must get your fever down.”

And then Csethiro was in front of him, warm hands on his face. “Dearheart.”

He smiled. He had a hard time not smiling when she called him that. It was something she’d read in some book, he knew, but it was a name she had only for him. Maia took several breaths and managed to croak out, “My Empress.”

“The bath is lukewarm, I promise thee. I know it feels frigid. Thou’rt quite ill. It seems thou mightn’t have some of the immunities the rest of us who grew up in the court have developed.”

“Oh.” Maia winced as he was lowered a bit further into the water. It shocked him into focusing enough to ask, “Csevet?”

“I have posted a healer’s apprentice to stay with him until he is fully recovered, but the physician has assured me it was nothing serious in his case. Just a few days of being miserable.”

His heart slowed a bit at that. It was no surprise Csevet was hardier than Maia, but never had Maia been quite so relieved by that fact. 

Telimezh, who was the one keeping him balanced, said, “A bit more, Serenity.”

Maia noted the water was seeming warmer, as was the air in general. Even so, and despite the pain in his throat, he truly wished for some tea. Everyone was being quite inconvenienced enough on his behalf, however, so he merely endured the rest of the bath and rather appreciated being dried and wrapped in clean night apparel. 

Once he was in bed, Kiru brought a cup of tea to him, and Maia blinked, wondering if he’d said something aloud. Kiru told him, “The physician said you are to be given liquids regularly, and that heated liquids will be easier for you to handle.”

She watched on like an anxious parent as Maia slowly made his way through the cup, leaning into Csethiro, who’d climbed into bed with him. No sooner had he finished than Kiru was taking the cup from him, Telimezh urging, “Sleep, Serenity,” and Csethiro holding him in her arms, where he was safe and finally warm and could rest.

* * *

Maia woke himself coughing, still feeling as though someone was squeezing his brain through an infinitesimally tiny hole. His nightclothes were soaked through, which was giving him a chill, but it wasn’t bone deep, as it had been before.

When he had finished attempting to expel his lungs from his body, he opened his eyes dolefully. They settled on Csevet, who was looking a bit wan, but far better than he had the last time Maia had seen him. Seeing that Maia was alert, Csevet said, “Breathe, Serenity. Your fever has broken. Your wife was persuaded to bathe and get something to eat, but she will be back shortly. Tea and some light foods should be here momentarily.”

Tea sounded heavenly. Despite the coughing, Maia’s throat hurt slightly less than it had the day before. Even food seemed a bit attractive. Softly, he asked. “How dost thou feel?”

Csevet flushed the way he always did when Maia addressed him as an equal. “We are much improved, Serenity, although most sorry to have been a cause of distress and illness to you. The physician is quite sure we do not threaten you with another round of sickness at this time.”

“That is not what I meant,” Maia said, with just enough disapproval to get his point across without Csevet taking it as a remonstration.

Csevet’s ears flattened, but his lips curled up a bit. “You…you sent your wife to see that we were properly tended to. You made certain we had attendants in case of needing aid. Serenity, we—we were left at a temple as an infant. We grew up fighting for food and blankets and attention. Your treatment of us would be extraordinary regardless, but is more so for the fact that you hold the power to do anything, and what you choose is to show kindness where it has never been known.”

It was Maia’s turn to flush. “I merely wished…thou hast been constant. And devoted. And art worthy of having such returned.”

Csevet’s smile was small, pleased. “You have returned it triple-fold, Serenity.”

Maia was saved from having to respond to that by the tea and food arriving, and subsequently being bullied by Csevet and Beshelar into eating as much as he could of the offerings.

* * *

The physician was extremely insistent Maia have a full day of bed rest, “At the absolute least, Serenity,” before he was allowed to return to his duties. Maia could see the wisdom, as he still felt as though an airship had landed on his chest, but was also made rather nervous by how long he’d been away from presiding over the council. It was the third day he’d missed and Maia could truly only imagine what might have occurred in that time. It was not that he distrusted Berenar, more that he was well aware one man could only do so much.

Csevet said, “We will attend, Serenity, compile the reports from our substitute, and make certain no inappropriate actions have been or are taken in your absence.”

The smart thing to do would be allow this. Csevet was absolutely capable of keeping things under control. But he also hardly looked any better than Maia felt, so instead Maia said, “We would rather you stayed with us and caught us up as necessary while we are awake.”

Phrased that way, Csevet could disagree. It wouldn’t even be considered true impertinence to point out it was not the best use of the secretary’s time. Instead, the set of Csevet’s shoulders softened a bit, and his ears relaxed from the almost forward-point up to which they’d wound. “Yes, of course Serenity, we will see to it you are fully informed.”

“But first, sleep,” Csethiro said, walking into the room with her usual brusqueness. “And I mean both of you.”

Csevet stood to give a bow. “We will ret—”

“Nonsense,” Csethiro said, swinging onto the bed and positioning herself on the far side of Maia. “This bed is the size of most households.”

Csevet flushed, and Maia felt for him, there was a heat blossoming in his own stomach and cheeks, but the idea of having Csevet where Maia could see him, know for certain he was all right, sat nicely in his chest, almost a balm to the worst of the cough. He asked innocently, “Thou art about to deny my wife?”

Csevet blinked. The look on his face suggested he knew exactly what Maia was about, but also had too much respect for Maia to bring the manipulation into the light. After several moments he said, “We would never, Serenity.”

Maia smiled and relaxed back against Csethiro. “Well, then. That is settled.”


End file.
